History: Developed in Germany in the late 1800’s by Louis Dobermann. This man was a dog warden and a tax collector so not a particularly well liked person. Herr Dobermann sought to develop a breed that would be guardy and protective of him as he travelled from home to home collecting tax money. The breed is likely descended from the Rottweiler, Black and Tan Terrier and German Pinscher. The breed exemplified itself during both World wars, searching for wounded soldiers, detecting land mines and alerting to the enemy, acting as messengers and carrying supplies. The breed was officially recognized by the AKC in 1908.
General Appearance: large dog of square appearance, elegant and powerful with good clean muscling. Carriage is quite noble with high alert head and a body on sturdy substantial limbs. Height: males 26-28 inches females 24-26 inches
Coat and Colour: very short and glossy, lying close to body and rather hard to touch. Only allowed colours are black, red, blue and fawn with typical rust marking on face, legs chest and under tail.
Feeding: any good quality kibble or proper raw diet. Should be fed twice daily, morning and evening. Kibble should be softened with warm water prior to feeding.
Training and Obedience: As stated the breed excels in training regimens and will do well if started early in a well organized training class using appropriate methods.
Activity: an active breed and puppies are exuberant. A daily walk will be necessary but they are also equally adept at curling up beside you in a chair. However, for good overall health it is recommended that they receive adequate outdoor exercise and stimulation daily. They must be confined in a fenced yard of 6 foot height and might be quite vocal to warn of intruders or anything that they deem suspicious. They cannot be housed outside in cold weather. Puppies will adapt well to children at an early age as well as cats and other dogs in the household.
Temperament: Known for his courage, energy and fearless demeanor, loyalty and bold confident ways plus easy trainability and marked intelligence. The breed excels in many different performance sports including obedience, tracking, agility, dock diving. With a strongly developed work ethic they are eager to please and quick to respond.